Prevention of Early Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Infection: A Long-Term Experience from Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

Abstract

Background: Preventing the early shunt infection is critical for the success of ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) operation. Our goal was to establish a standardized protocol to prevent early shunt infection. Patients and Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study. Patients who received the VPS in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) between August 2012 and June 2022 were enrolled. Data of patients were extracted from the PUMCH hydrocephalus database. An evidence-based protocol to prevent early shunt infection was established, implemented, and supervised strictly throughout the study period. A central nervous system (CNS) infection presented within 30 days after VPS was defined as early VPS infection. Results: A total of 311 patients who received VPS were enrolled in this study. Under the strict execution of a standardized protocol including scalp pre-disinfection, "no touch" shunt technique, and an amikacin-soaked catheter, only 2 patients had early shunt infection. Conclusion: We established a standardized shunt infection prevention protocol and reported a low early infection rate. Our experience may be a clinical pearl for the surgical treatment of patients with hydrocephalus.